One of the Sillest Girls in All of England
by Idiot Jello
Summary: Catherine Bennet had long been known as an excitable and slightly irritable girl; 'one of the sillest girls in all of England', her father might say. Perhaps Kitty had not been so silly all along? P&P, Kitty's POV


Catherine Bennet had long been known as an excitable and slightly irritable girl. She was fourth in the long line of Bennet daughters, and was the faithful sidekick of Lydia Bennet. Although Catherine (who preferred the name Kitty) was two years older, she didn't seem to know the difference between right and wrong, and did not chide her robust sister for her ridiculous behaviors, and instead joined in with them. The two sisters' main goal was to have a constant good time, and not let anyone stop them. And always, always, Lydia was universally acknowledged as the ringleader. Whether it was she was the youngest, or had more gut, the present narrator does not know. Kitty just seemed to be in the shadow of her younger sister, and quite frankly, she did not like it that much. Kitty wanted to be the center of attention, at least fir one night.

Thus when Kitty and Lydia heard from Lady Lucas that a Mr. Bingley had just rented an estate--Netherfield—that was just three miles away, and he was coming to the assembly on Saturday, Kitty was certain she had found her opportunity to getting some publicity. Finally she could show off her talents, even if they were not so great in number. The girls rushed, energized with the good news, to Longbourn, their home that they shared with their three other sisters and parents. The duo managed to tell their story, with no little amount of giggling and coughing, to their family in pieces, picking up with the other left off. Their mother, due to her knowledge that Mr. Bennet did not want to call on Mr. Bingley, refused to hear such good information, but surprisingly, Mr. Bennet revealed that, indeed, he, indeed, had paid a call on Mr. Bingley, and that there was no way to escape acquaintance now. Suffice to say, the rest of the family approved heartily.

The afternoon and evening passed quickly for Kitty, for all she could think of was the assembly. She had visions that with her elegant gown and beautiful features, she would have the whole room positively in love with her. These visions kept poking up at her, and even though they were silly, and she shouldn't get her hopes up, Kitty reasoned where else can hopes go but up? Her family could see the blatant happiness that danced around Kitty like a jinx, and while usually Jane or Lizzy would scold her for being so unruly, they didn't, because they were scarcely less eager themselves.

That night in bed Kitty did something she hadn't done in quite awhile. She thought about her situation in life, her education, her friends, and most of all, her sisters. Lydia Bennet…her best friend. Sometimes a little too wild than Kitty would dare to be, but she was 15, after all. Mary…there was little to be said about Mary. She wasn't that bad looking, but if Kitty were a young man with lots of money—Mr. Bingley had five thousand a year, didn't he? – she wouldn't have picked Mary for a dance partner. Mary had potentials, good pianoforte playing, good knowledge of books, good knowledge of almost everything…and that was her fault. A brainy know-it-all who borrowed other people's opinions and words in terrible situations instead of her own. Jane Bennet—so beautiful! It seemed as though half the town was drowning in her good nature and loveliness. But Jane could also be well deceived…Kitty had once tricked Jane into believing strawberries grew on trees as light as a feather, an when the winds blew at night, they all floated away. Of course, that was when Jane was ten years of age. Lizzy Bennet was Kitty's role model and confident. In some ways, Kitty felt closer to Lizzy than even Lydia. She was just so easy to be with, and talk to, and she never was afraid of Lizzy thinking Kitty was really ridiculous when she talked to her, even if it was about things Kitty suspected she could care less. Kitty liked Lizzy better than Lydia, but she would never admit it to anyone. Kitty was going to help Lizzy someday, to repay her kindness. Kitty just wasn't sure what she was going to do…yet.

One part of Kitty's visions of the assembly was true. She had never sat down, for she always had a partner. However it was not her doing; it was Lydia's doing. Somehow or other, Lydia found them partners every single dance. Kitty would be ever proud of herself if she ever learned Lydia's secrets. Kitty loved to dance, no doubts whatsoever. If her partner was reasonably good-looking, and wasn't completely drunk (she had heard rumors about men in bars, that scared her to no end), all was fine and dandy in her world. They had just come to Kitty's favorite part in the dance where the dancers took elegant steps towards the front off the room, but she was denied the pleasure, because everyone stood in awe at the people that had just arrived. The music in the room was the only thing that made a sound or stirred , until one player looked up, curious that the dancers seemed to not be dancing and no one was chattering, saw the new arrivals and hushed the others. A dreadful silence hung in the air, and Kitty was afraid her heartbeats would be heard be everyone.

It was Mr. Bingley and his sisters, Louisa Hurst and Miss Bingley, and two other men, presumably one of them to be Mr. Hurst. One man was short and plump, with no handsome features whatsoever. The other was the complete opposite. Tall, dark, and haughty, the man stood with a criticizing eye over the Merytonites. And Kitty knew just what he was thinking. That the whole of Meryton was just a bunch of silly country folk with no fashion or fortune. It made Kitty angry. It made Kitty very angry. It made Kitty so angry that she didn't bother to hear the introductions of the other members of the party. She only wanted to know that man's name, so she could criticize him. And think bad thoughts about him. See how he likes it. Kitty knew she was being silly, but she didn't give a fig. Kitty didn't like that man…

"Kitty! Maria has told me that handsome fellow over there is Mr. Darcy! He has ten thousand a year! Can you believe it?" …that man, named Mr. Darcy.

The dance continued.

While Kitty danced with the never-ending supply of partners that kept popping up, she couldn't help but fade away from her bad mood and notice good, spirit-lifting things. For instance, Kitty saw that Mr. Bingley was paying Jane special attentions, and that alone made Kitty smile encouragingly as Jane became partners with Bingley once again, as if by magic.

It was after another two dances that Kitty and a few other girls were standing, waiting for their next step and watching girls sweep around them like swans. Kitty searched the rows of faces and found Mr. Darcy, staring after something with traces of surprise floating in his face. She followed his gaze and saw Lizzy, with Charlotte Lucas, laughing at…something. No, they were laughing at Mr. Darcy! Kitty merely smiled. She could always count on Lizzy to find faults in the most unassuming places. The evening wore on, Kitty never finding herself without a partner. Jane, Kitty happily observed, had found herself in a similar situation. Lizzy was asked to dance a few times, and Mary held her peace in a corner. Mr. Bingley was enjoying the Bennet's company, the Bingley sisters did not see too disgusted with the Merytonites, and Mr. Darcy just walked around the room, sulking, no doubt, at Lizzy and Charlotte's ridiculing him. All was well.

"Oh my dear Mr. Bennet! We had a most delightful evening! I dearly wished you could have been there!" Mrs. Bennet took it upon herself to inform her irritated husband, whose tranquility had been interrupted, of the events of the evening, waving abut her handkerchief violently. "Jane was so admired; everyone said she looked so well! Mr. Bingley, can you believe it, danced with her twice! Twice! That was one more time than any other lady in the room. He danced with Charlotte Lucas, which vexed me greatly. And he danced with Lizzy and what do you think happened next!"

"Enough! Enough! Let's hear no more of his partners. O that he had sprained his ankle in the first dance!" Mr. Bennet interjected.

"I am most delighted with Mr. Bingley! And his sisters! (here Lydia and Kitty exchanged a look and a giggle—listening to their mother's conversation after a ball was always entertaining) Such charming women! So elegant…and obliging! Their dresses! I daresay the lace on Mrs. Hurst gown—"

"No lace, Mrs. Bennet, I beg you!" Mr. Bennet cried. Mrs. Bennet's mood changed, and her praise of the Bingley sisters turned to criticism of the friends he had.

"But the man he brought with him—Mr. Darcy as he calls himself—is not with our concern, even if he be the richest man in Derbyshire. The proudest, the most horrid, disobliging-- He slighted poor Lizzy you know! Not handsome enough to dance with, indeed! I wish you could've been there, my dear. You could've given him one of your set downs. I daresay I quite detest the man!"

Kitty studied Lizzy's face-she was merely bemused. Kitty had not known Mr. Darcy had slighted her…and yet in some way Lizzy ridiculed him. Her sister must have had a lot of gut to laugh at the man who had insulted her. But to Kitty, it did not seem impossible. If someone were to do that sort of thing, Lizzy would be the one. Kitty smiled inwardly. Her sister could never cease to amaze her. The next morning, the Lucases, intimate family friends of the Bennets, came to call upon the Bennet females, to discuss a topic of very great importance—the Meryton assembly. It had become some sort of a tradition: the morning after a ball of some sort they Lucases and Bennets would reflect and recall upon last evening. The visit was also an absolute must; and even if the weather weren't very fair, the family that was calling would take their carriage.

This particular morning Kitty listened intently, for this was her first official day of her newest occupation—studying character. For the night before Kitty lay in bed, contemplating about her newest problem, she had an idea. The 'idea' was that sooner or later Elizabeth would fall in love, if she not already had. Kitty would study her behavior towards her general acquaintance, and if she found a person that had seemed to catch Lizzy's heart, Kitty would play matchmaker. Thus did Kitty become a studier of character. And with her observations last night of her friends and family, Kitty knew that she had selected a study that could not fail to amuse her. However, Kitty decided she must have a record of her observations, so that she could reflect upon one particular person's behavior at this time, and mayhap there personality would change. Perhaps Mary would finally learn the joy of dancing.

Kitty had crept down the stairs, expertly avoiding the creakiest steeps that screeched most dreadfully when she stepped on them. She wove through the hall, passed the door to the dining room, drawing room, and kitchen, before she finally came to her father's hideout—the library. The girl took quick and light steps to her father's desk. After a minute or two of rummaging around for utensils, and another three for assembling them, Kitty had her record book. It was very crude—nothing more than a few sheets of letter-paper glued together with some wax that was still sticky enough to bind. But it was, in Kitty's eyes, perfect for its use. It had been at that moment Kitty heard footsteps behind her. The girl had turned on her heel sharply, expecting the monsters that attacked little girls in the night from some fairytales she had read long ago, only to see her father. "Kitty my dear! What in the name are you doing in my library at this time of the night?"

"Nothing Papa!" And with that Kitty had fled the room and ran back to her bedchambers, throwing stealth and caution to the winds. Once inside, she broke off in hysteric giggling. It was all too absurd. But her self-amusement did not last long, for she was determined to get some writing done in her book tonight. She made six records for six people: Mama, Papa, Lydia, Mary, Lizzy, and Jane. She wrote about their personalities and deeds, their acquaintances and friends, and she wrote her guesses at their minds. She had used four sides of letter paper that night. It was a start.

Mrs. Bennet had spoke the first sentence of their no doubt would-be lengthy discussion about the ball, addressing Miss Charlotte Lucas. "You began the evening well, Charlotte. You were Mr. Bingley's first choice."

Charlotte Lucas, clever, witty, and decent looking, but not pretty enough to not be considered 'plain'. She went by the book for marriage matters; Kitty knew this because once Charlotte had scolded Lydia and herself when they were talking about how her brother was good-looking but they wanted someone more lively to live with to make them happy. Charlotte had said happiness in marriage was a matter of chance. "Yes," she began slowly, finding her words, "But he seemed to like his second better."

Mrs. Bennet pounced upon this semi-compliment, and Kitty realized her mother had meant to boast about Jane, but wanted to appear unknowing, modest and dismissive. Her words proved it, each one dripping with false surprise. "Oh! You mean Jane, I suppose, because he danced with her twice. To be sure that did seem as if he admired her -- indeed I rather believe he did -- I heard something about it -- but I hardly know what -- something about Mr. Robinson."

"Perhaps you mean what I overheard between him and Mr. Robinson: did not I mention it to you? Mr. Robinson's asking him how he liked our Meryton assemblies, and whether he did not think there were a great many pretty women in the room, and which he thought the prettiest? And his answering immediately to the last question 'Oh! The eldest Miss Bennet, beyond a doubt; there cannot be two opinions on that point.'"

This newest piece of intelligence came from Lady Lucas, who was a great gossiper, but able like her daughter, and was far less open in her matchmaking for her daughters, and did not boast about them as much.

"Upon my word! Well, that was very decided indeed -- that does seem as if -- but, however, it may all come to nothing, you know." Mrs. Bennet continued her role as the unknowing mother of her beautiful and gifted daughters. Kitty could barely contain a giggle.

"My overhearing were more to the purpose than yours, Eliza," said Charlotte. "Mr. Darcy is not so well worth listening to as his friend, is he? Poor Eliza! To be only just tolerable." Kitty's eyes flickered to her sister's face. Lizzy wrinkled her brow and opened her mouth, but closed it upon her mother's response.

"I beg you would not put it into Lizzy's head to be vexed by his ill-treatment, for he is such a disagreeable man, that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him. Mrs. Long told me last night that he sat close to her for half an hour without once opening his lips." Mrs. Bennet declared.

"Are you quite sure, ma'am? Is not there a little mistake?" said Jane, not one to think ill of anybody. She would think a thieving rat a misunderstood angel. "I certainly saw Mr. Darcy speaking to her."

Yes, because she asked him at last how he liked Netherfield, and he could not help answering her; but she said he seemed very angry at being spoke

to." Cried Mrs. Bennet, the very subject bristling her. Kitty noticed that Elizabeth was slightly irritated to be excluded in the very conversation when the topic was chiefly of herself. But Jane would not hear of talk of Mr. Darcy behaving ill. "Miss Bingley told me that he never speaks much, unless among his intimate acquaintance. With them he is remarkably agreeable."

I do not believe a word of it, my dear. If he had been so very agreeable, he would have talked to Mrs. Long. But I can guess how it was: everybody says that he is eat up with pride, and I dare say he had heard somehow that Mrs. Long does not keep a carriage, and had come to the ball in a hack chaise."

"I do not mind his not talking to Mrs. Long, but I wish he had danced with Eliza." Charlotte obviously disliked having her friends treated badly. Her statement was open and strong, leaving no one to doubt it. Mrs. Bennet, of course wanted to emphasize her point.

"Another time, Lizzy," said her mother, "I would not dance with him , if I were you."

"I believe, ma'am, I may safely promise you never to dance with Mr. Darcy." Declared Lizzy, finally in the conversation.

"His pride," said Miss Lucas, and Kitty could see her words coming to her steadily, as she talked a bit less hesitantly, "does not offend me so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, everything in his favor, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud." Her eye fixed on everyone in the room as she spoke, and when she finished, her eyes shoe with expectance of opinions. Kitty realized that Charlotte, despite what everyone said, was very pretty, in an unusual clever-featured sort of way. It was very pleasing to the eye.

"That is very true," replied Lizzy, "and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine."

"Pride," observed Mary, mimicking Charlotte's tone, "is a very common failing, I believe. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed; that human nature is particularly prone to it, and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonimously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us." It was not uncommon for Mary to declare herself in such a manner. Lydia, rolled her eyes at Kitty, and the girls tried in vain to suppress a giggle, which led to Jane, Lizzy, and Charlotte glaring at them.

"If I were as rich as Mr. Darcy," cried Gordon Lucas, a boy of ten years, "I should not care how proud I was. I would keep a pack of foxhounds, and drink a bottle of wine every day." This avowal did not help to their youngest Miss Bennet's hysterics. Nor did the ones that followed.

"Then you would drink a great deal more than you ought," said Mrs. Bennet; "and if I were to see you at it, I should take away your bottle directly."

"You shall not!"

"I shall!"

"You shall not!"

"I shall!" This argument, which Kitty presumed would not end anytime soon, let Kitty have some time to reflect upon the conversation. The gossip was nothing of very great importance, but the topic interested Kitty. Mr. Darcy, disliked by all in less than a day, was a character Kitty could not let her book lose. Kitty suddenly looked at Mr. Darcy in a different prospect. She now had a desire to figure Mr. Darcy out, his reserve and his pride, and his lack of manners to the Merytonites. Mr. Darcy, once a figure to point her dislike at, was now a new interesting challenge. It might be a stretch for her abilities, but every good observer must begin somewhere. Every good observer must have her first big challenge. And Mr. Darcy's challenge appeared to be as difficult as ten of its kind.

* * *

_Over a year ago I wrote four chapters of P&P form Kitty's perpespectove. I am not entirely sure if I mean to continue. It miht depend on the response I get. The first four chapter swill be posted._

_Hope you like it_.

_Becca_


End file.
